Mail-bag catch-hook



(NomodeLj J. B. LAMKIN. MAIL BAG GATH HOK.r

Patened Apr. 11, 189.3.

' la @Ff VIl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. LAMKIN, OF GARFIELD, ARKANSAS.

MAIL-BAG CATCH-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,116, dated April11, 1893.

Application filed December 12, 1890. Serial No. 374,528. (No model.) Y

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. LAMKIN, a resident of Garfield, in thecounty of Benton and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new anduseful improvements in a device, commonly known as Catch-Hooks, used inconnection with a double-pronged suspensionclasp for postal-car service;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in mail bag catchinghooks and is used for the purpose of catching mail bags preferablysuspended by or between a double pronged clasp attached to a projectingbar or beam near the road side although any of the forms of mail-bagcranes might be used and safely delivering said bag on board of thepostal car of a running train, and it consists in the employment of ametal arm adapted to project out of the car-door, and provided with ahandle, and slidably mounted on a cross bar rigidly attached to a postalcar. The outer part of said arm is formed with two parallel prongs at ornear a right angle therewith and extending forward longitudinally withsaid car, and the outer ends of said prongs are bent apart forming aiiaring or V shaped opening between the inner side surfaces thereof andadapted to receive and firmly hold a mail bag between said prongs whilethe train is in motion.

The object of my invention is to provide a two pronged catch hookattached to the postal car of a rail road train and adapted to catch,firmly hold and deliver a mail bag on board of a moving train avoidingany liability of dropping said bag in the operation by rebound, or highwind or storm blowing in the same direction in which'the train ismoving. The above mentioned object and advantages I attain by themechanism as herein described and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification and to the letters andfigures of reference marked thereon as hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings Figure l. is a perspective view of myinvention showing a portion of a postal car to which the catch hook isattached in position. Fig. 2 is a top view of the double pronged claspfor holding a mail bag in a suspended position at the rail road station.Fig. 3 is a detail view of a metal box or casting which supports thecatchhook in position on the cross bar extending across a car door. Y

A represents a portion of a postal car having the double pronged catchhook B attached thereto.

C is the double pronged clasp supported in position by a horizontal baror beam D held 'in position usually by an upright post E having itslower end planted in the ground in close proximity to a rail road track.

In the embodiment of my invention I provide an arm l, of the catch hook,preferably formed of steel, with a handle 2. on its inner end. and twoparallel prongs 3. 4. formed on the outer 'part of said arm, projectingat or near a right angle thereto extending forward longitudinally withthe postal car on which it is attached, said prongs having a suitablespace between their inner side surfaces to receive a mail bag therein,and near the outer pointed ends 5 6 of said prongs I provide the inwardprojections 7 by kinks or bends or otherwise forming said projectionsupon the inner sides of a sufficient depth as to rest against eachother; from which point the outer part of said prongs are bent apartforming'a V shaped open space of the desired size between the inclinedsides of said prongs as shown at drawings Fig. l, the functions of whichwill be hereinafter referred to.

For the purpose of attaching the catch hook to a postal car, I provide asuitable shaped casting 8, having holes 9, 10 passing through it inplanes at right angle with each other. Through the hole 9. the rear partll. of the catch hook arm is journaled, and through the other hole 10 abar of metal 12. is passed having its two ends rmly attached to thewalls 13 of the car by bolts or clamp boxes and extending across itsside door a suitable distance above the floor thereof, rendering saidcatch hook and its supporting casting capable of being moved back andforth and revolved around said bar as required in the operation of thedevice.

For the purpose of holding the prongs 3. 4 of the catch hookB to standlirmly in a hori- IOC zontal plane I provide a suitable projecting lug14 on the arm 1, and also form 4a projecting lip 15 on the box orcasting S. The upper face of said lip being on a line with the lowerside of said arm and its projecting lug, upon which the lug 14. rests,holding the prongs 3. 4 horizontally when standing in one direction.Thence by the use of the handle 2. the prongs 3. 4 may be turned overone half of a revolution and supported thereby in the oppositedirection.

It is also important to provide an eective means for holding the armportion 1 and its projecting prongs to stand in a horizontal positiontransversely in relation to the car on which it is attached. This may beaccom.- plished in several ways. The cross bar 12 may be made round atits middle portion with the end portions thereof made square, andproviding a square hole through the casting S to engage with the squaredportions of said bar. The bars 12 may also be made round, and V shapednotches 16 formed in the two opposite ends of the casting 8, en gagingalternatively with suitable stops or pins 17 located at or near theouter ends of said cross bar 12. Vhen the casting 8 is movedlongitudinally thereon, one of the stop pins will engage a notch andhold the catch hook rigidly in ahorizontal position as shown in drawingsFig. 1 when the car is moving in the direction to the right hand. Whenmoving in the opposite direction the catch hook is reversed by turningit over to stanti in a corresponding direction with the moving train,and is moved back along the cross bar 12 until the other stop pinengages with the other notch in the opposite end of said casting.

For the purpose of securely holding a mail bag in a suspended positionas shown in the drawings, Fig. 1, I provide a double pronged clasp Chaving suitable space between the prongs 18, and provided with shortkinks or bends 19 coming together on their inner sides a short distanceback from their outer ends thence ared outwardly standing apart forminga V shaped open mouth the same as the prongs of the catch hook beforedescribed. The prongs 1S, forming the suspension clasp, C. may besecured either to the upper or lower side of the outer end of aprojecting beam D, and clamped thereto between two suitable plates 20,having a clamping screw bolt passing up through said beam and plate andbetween the prongs of said clasp, holding them firmly to stand pointingin a line of travel with a rail road track and prongs of the catch hookattached to a postal car. Also suitable means may be employed forholding the prongs together at a proper tension at their outer pointedends or'inward projections 19. to hold a mail bag therein and yet allowit to be taken therefrom by the catcher Without injury to the bag or itscontents. For this purpose one or more set screws 21 may be used passingthrough side projections of the plates, with the ends of the set screwsresting against the side and central portion of said prongs 18. The mailbag is then passed in between said prongs which will close together neartheir outer ends, and rmly hold said bag in asuspended position as shownwithout any liability of it getting blown from its place, as beforementioned.

Ordinarily the fastenings loops and straps attached to the upper end ofa mail bag renders it suficiently large as to prevent any liability ofslipping through between ,the prongs referred to. If necessary thecontents of the bag may be divided and a portion thereof placed abovethe prongs of sald clasp C. Y Y

When the train` is moving in the direction to the right hand, thepronged catch hook is set in position as shown at drawings Fig. 1, andthe mail bag being held in readiness between the prongs of thesuspension clasp C that are forward, or beyond the supporting beam D,the open mouth of the catch hookwill pass over the mail bag causing thetwo arms thereof to spring apart and receive said bag back into thespace between said prongs which will close together, and at the sameinstant carrying it out of the suspension clasp C.

A good and effective means for holding the catch hook rigidly in ahorizontal position while in the act of receiving the mail bag 1sespecially important and is not dependent upon the judgment of theoperator to hold 1t level as is the case where the old style singleprong catch hook is used, which often misses or drops the mail bagtherefrom.

In reference to the prongs 3,4, of the catch hook which I prefer to makeof spring steel, the rear ends thereof are preferably formed IOOintegral with the arm portion 1, and made of a suitable size to renderthem flexible. Yet I do not restrict myself to forming both of saidprongs integral, as one of them may have its rear end suitably hinged tothe adjoining one or to the arm portion l and a suitable spring used tohold the two prongs together at a proper tension.

In reference to the inward projections ,7 and 19 on the prongs of thecatch hook Band suspension clasp C herein before described I reserve theright to dispense with said projections if found expedient to do so.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I'claim as new anduseful,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The within described mail bag catcher comprising a bar rigidlysecured to a car and extending across the side door thereof, a metal boxor casting slidably secured thereon, and suitable means near the end ofthe bar for engaging with said box or casting, and a two pronged catchhook having the inner portion thereof journaled in said metal box orcasting substantially as specified.

2. A mail bag catcher comprising a crossbar rigidly secured to the car,a metal box or casting slidably secured to said cross-bar, said box orcasting having notches to engage with IIO bends forming inwardprojections 7, the ends of said prongs diverging outwardly therefrom andadapted to receive and close upon a mail In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

J. B. LAMKIN.

Witnesses:

A. D. NEIGHBoRs, R. H. EWART.

